It's not a mailing list, but a usenet newsgroup. You can read it directly
using a newsreader via nntp, supported e.g. by gnus, thunderbird and
many other newsreaders.
You don't have to use google groups, it's just a gateway.
However, many of the gnu usenet groups also do have a gateway to
mailing lists:
http://lists.gnu.org/
This one could be the gnu.emacs.announce mailing list:
http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/info-gnu-emacs
If this is, what you prefer.

I like use GMANE service:
server: news.gmane.org
port: 119
news: gmane.emacs.announce
So address@hidden is original place for mails.
Different news group services mirror this list.